Safety system and method of use for high workers

ABSTRACT

A pair of flat plates are joined by a hinge and fastened at the peak of a roof so that an eye bolt attached to one of the plates is positioned outward of the roof. A safety cable is engaged with the eye bolt and may be fastened to a worker harness. A second pair of flat plates, also having eye bolts are fastened on either side of the hinged pair and spaced apart. A walker cable is fastened between the second pair of flat plates. The safety cable may be fastened to the walking cable instead of the worker harness, and in this case, a personnel cable may be slidingly engaged with the walking cable and to the worker harness so as to provide safety to a worker while permitting the worker to move about while working on a scaffold.

INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE

Applicant(s) hereby incorporate herein by reference, any and all U.S.patents referred to in this application.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates generally to safety equipment and the use thereofand more particularly to a safety equipment for workers on scaffolds orotherwise situated in high and precarious locations.

2. Description of Related Art

The following art defines the present state of this field: Glynn et al.,U.S. Pat. No. 4,249,713 describes an attachment member for roof peaks towhich a safety line can be clipped. A strip of metal is bent to define acentral portion with two juxtaposed panels, and outwardly extending legsadapted to be secured to roof joists. The central portion has anaperture for the hook portion of the clip, the hook being flattened. Theaperture is elongated, and is narrower than the width of the flattenedhook portion, whereby the hook portion, when engaged with the aperture,is restricted in terms of rotation.

Courchesne et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,957,185 describes a novel deployableand stackable accordion shutter system including an overhead headerpresenting a track and a laterally disposed abutment surface. The systemincludes a plurality of trolley supported shutter member, which arerotatable about a vertical axis adjacent one-edge portion thereof. Thesystem further includes a sill having a guide slot, which is disposedbeneath the track in alignment therewith. The sill also has an abutmentsurface disposed in alignment with the abutment surface of the header.The shutter members carry abutment-contacting elements disposed forcoming into contact with the abutment surfaces to rigidify the structurewhen the shutter system is deployed. Additional abutment surfaces areprovided adjacent the edge of the shutter which is supported by thetrolley for further strength. The shutter members are speciallyconfigured to facilitate close stacking of the system. In addition, aspecially configured washer is provided again for the purpose offacilitating close stacking of the system when it is not deployed.

Crocker et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,036,949 describes a motion-stoppingsafety system for persons, workers, and in one embodiment for roofworkers. A gripping anchor for gripping a structural member that isuseful in such systems. In one embodiment a gripping anchor has aC-shaped body member with facing members secured thereto and a lineconnection device, e.g. an opening or a clevis, shackle, or metal loop,connected to the body member. In one embodiment a motion-stopping safetysystem uses two or more such anchors between which extend a rope, line,cable, etc., and to which a person's safety tether is movably orimmovably attached.

Glynn, U.S. Pat. No. 554,576 describes a lifeline safety system for apitched roof employing a frame for mounting a lifeline system above thepeak of the roof. Shoulders extend from the frame and engage opposingsides of the roof. An anchor comprising a generally J-shaped boltsecures the bracket assembly to the roof. The bolt has a hook, whichengages the underside of the rafter. A nut has a pair of arms fortorquing the nut to the bolt.

Lebow, U.S. Pat. No. 5,105,907 describes an improved intermediatesupport for ensuring the safety of a worker while moving relative to afixed structure at elevated locations, with the worker being secured bya lanyard to a safety or fall restraint cable. The intermediate supportis secured to the fixed structure, and includes a supporting platehaving a notch along the periphery thereof for receiving the safetycable, and a pair of opposing hooks members positioned on opposite sidesof the supporting plate. The hook members prevent the safety cable frominadvertently or intentionally moving out of the notch. The method ofthe present invention ensures that an end of the lanyard secured to thesafety cable may be quickly and easily moved sequentially past one hookmember, then the supporting plate, and then the other hook member toallow the worker to efficiently and safely move past the intermediatesupport.

Rhodes, U.S. Pat. No. 5,092,426 describes first and second elongatedmembers are slidable along each other to form a beam of variable lengthto span the top surface of a structure on which a worker is positioned.Clamping surfaces extend from the ends of the beam to engage the sidesof the structure. A lever pivotally mounted on the first elongatedmember is connected through a link to the second elongated member toshorten the beam and urge the clamping surfaces against the structure. Aworker's safety line may be attached to the device such that the leveris locked relative to the first elongated member to secure the device tothe structure whenever the safety line is attached.

Babcock, U.S. Pat. No. 5,282,597 describes a safety line anchor deviceholds a safety line for workmen and is generally intended for use inroof construction. The device is especially useful for use on wood trussroofs of any pitch. The first embodiment of the invention is constructedand arranged for use on one side of a wood truss, 24″ centered roof ofany pitch. This safety line anchor device comprises a main bar fromwhich fastening straps extend, and at least one anchoring means forholding a safety line. The device is adapted to receive a fasteningmeans, by which it is fixed to a roof. This embodiment can be designedfor one or multiple anchor points. A second embodiment of the inventionis adapted for use on the peak of a roof and comprises two pivotallyjoined anchors which straddle the roof peak, each anchor having ananchoring means for holding a safety line attached thereto. A thirdembodiment is adapted for use on the end peaks of a roof and comprises apair of supports, each further comprising a central bar from whichfastening straps extend, the supports being pivotally joined by a mainsupport to which a safety line anchoring means is attached, from which asafety line may extend down the sides of a house. All embodiments arecapable of withstanding a load of at least 5,000 pounds per person. Aspecial hook latch allows only one safety line end to be attached toeach anchor point. In addition, a protective shield is used to protectthe safety line and the roof from abrasion.

Woodyard, U.S. Pat. No. 5,287,944 describes one or more roof mountedanchors are preferably permanently installed: during the initialconstruction of a building; during the renovation of a building; duringthe inspection time and/or maintenance time of a building; duringinstallation and cleaning of roofs and gutters; during installation ofantennas and cables, etc. Each roof mounted anchor has: a base memberformed to fit a roof and having spaced holes to receive screw or screwlike fasteners used in securing this anchor to the roof structure of abuilding; an integral upright anchoring eyelet structure secured to thebase member in the center portion thereof and having an eyelet toreceive portions of a cable, or hook; preferably a gusset integrallyextending between the base member and the integral upright anchoringeyelet structure; and preferably the gusset has an integral cablereceiving hole structure centrally located to receive and to anchor aportion of a cable. Then, when at least two roof mounted anchors aremounted on a ridge of a roof, and the base members of both are formed tomatch the ridge of a roof, and a cable, of a length to allow a limitedsag, is positioned along the ridge of the roof and anchored at therespective ends thereof to the respective roof mounted anchors, the mainanchoring components are installed.

Vandelinde, U.S. Pat. No. 5,297,651 describes a load transfer device andsystem having double safety cables permitting users to move freely andsafely along elevated surfaces comprising a plurality of elongatedT-shaped support brackets each having a body portion for anchoring to asupport surface and a head portion for receiving a pair of equispacedcables. A load transfer device for slidable travel on the pair of cablesand past the support brackets comprises a rectangular plate forreceiving a lanyard, said plate having a pair of elongated hook-shapedjaws hingedly secured to each edge of the rectangular plate forreceiving a safety cable therein, each said elongated hook-shaped jawhinged to a side edge of the rectangular plate whereby the said jaw issubstantially planar with the plate during no-load conditions andwhereby the load transfer device can freely pass a support bracketduring no-load conditions.

Bredijk, U.S. Pat. No. 5,320,194 describes a scaffold that is arrangedfor temporary mounting to a canted roof to include an anchor bracketarranged for positioning to the roof peak, wherein a base platformpivotally mounts a support platform to orient the support platform in ahorizontal alignment relative to the associated roof surface employingarcuate first and second legs mounted to a rear edge of the platformadjustably directed through sleeve members in fixed securement to thesupport platform.

Bell, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,361,866 describes a connector assembly forreleasable securement to a portion of scaffolding on which a workerwearing a safety restraint member, e.g., safety belt and associatedlanyard, will be disposed. The portion of the scaffolding comprises acylindrical section having a pair of collars disposed on it. Each of thecollars defines a channel between it and the cylindrical section. Theconnector assembly comprises an insert, a first connector pivotallysecured by a bolt to the insert, a strap formed of a flexible web ofmaterial and having a loop at one end secured to the first connector,and D-ring secured to a loop at the other end of the strap. The inserthas a pair of projections, each of which is arranged to be locatedwithin a respective one of the channels between the collars and thecylindrical section of the scaffolding to releasably secure the insertin place with respect to the scaffolding. The D-ring serves as aconvenient connector for securing the lanyard thereto. A reinforcing padformed of a wear resistant material is secured to the strap.

Eisenmenger, U.S. Pat. No. 5,601,154 describes a portable roof scaffoldsystem comprising a combination transport/hook/standoff device, afixed-direction ladder platform, a fixed-direction roof-ladder standoff,a multi-direction ladder platform, a multi-direction roof-ladderstandoff, and one or more ladders. The combined use of these devicescreate an easily handled, easily set-up, scaffold which is supportedabove the roof surface, or the skeletal framework of a roof. The ladderplatforms may be positioned at a predetermined angle with respect to theladder to form a level working platform on any roof slope, and may beslid along the ladder to raise or lower the working level on the roofeven while remaining parallel to the angles of hips and valleys in theroof frame. Self-locking features of the ladder platforms make them easyand safe to relocate as work progresses.

Gray, U.S. Pat. No. 5,727,646 describes a retractable device and methodfor restraining a fall from a roof or other structure. The device has afirst extended position to allow the attachment of a lifeline and asecond retracted position, which conceals the apparatus below theexterior surface of a roof or other structure.

Ostrobrod, U.S. Pat. No. 5,730,407 describes a roof anchoring system forsecuring a safety winch assembly to a roof frame including such a safetyline winch assembly that has a housing with a drum and a drum shaftmounted therein. A safety line, which is adapted to be wrapped aroundthe drum, has one end secured to the drum and an opposite end adapted tobe connected to a workman. A centrifugal brake is also mounted withinthe housing for preventing rapid rotation of the drum and thereforerapid unwinding of the safety line. The roof anchor includes a platemember that has a plurality of holes formed therethrough. Screws areinserted through the holes and into the roof to secure the roof anchorto the roof frame. A base frame assembly supports the winch assemblythereon and has a plurality of wheels rotatably mounted to and extendingdownwardly from the base frame member. The base frame assembly ismounted for rotation about the roof anchor.

Pantano, U.S. Pat. No. 5,845,452 describes an anchor for securing asafety line to a roof having a pair of sloping portions defining anangle therebetween. The anchor is in the form of a two person permanentroof anchor for use by the residential construction industry as ananchor point from which construction or contractor personnel may attachan approved life line to which an approved personal fall arrest safetydevice may be attached. The anchor comprises an anchor bracket having apair of leg portions disposed at an angle in relation to the anglebetween the sloping portions of a roof so that the leg portions liealong the roof portions, and fasteners for attaching the leg portions tothe roof portions. The anchor further comprises at least one couplingmember and a component for hingedly connecting the coupling member tothe anchor bracket on one of the leg portions, the coupling memberhaving a formation thereon for connection to one end of a safety line;the other end of which is connected to safety equipment in the form ofan approved personal fall arrest safety device for use by a personworking on a roof. A pair of coupling members can be provided, eachhingedly connected in a unidirectional manner to a corresponding one ofthe anchor bracket leg portions, the coupling members in turn beingadapted for connection via two approved safety lines to a pair ofapproved fall arrest safety devices.

Nelson et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,862,880 describes a roof scaffoldingsystem of the type for use on a pitched roof that may be moved bothlongitudinally and laterally. The roof scaffolding system includes: apeak anchor having a carrying assembly connected atop thereof, the peakanchor being adapted for connecting to a pitched roof; a side railassembly having a base member, a top member and a load support memberadapted to support an elongated scaffold member, the load support memberinterconnecting the base member and the top member; and an elongatedflexible member operationally connecting the side rail assembly and thepeak anchor in a manner such that the side rail assembly may be movedlongitudinally and laterally upon a roof. The roof scaffolding systemmay include a cross rail member connected between to side railassemblies to serve as a safety rail for a user. The roof scaffoldingsystem may further include a net connectable between the side railassemblies to prevent objects from falling from the work area.

Ostrobrod, U.S. Pat. No. 5,924,522 describes a cable grab safety devicewhich releasably attaches a workman's safety belt or harness lanyard toa vertically extending safety steel cable or the like. The deviceincludes a primary frame assembly constructed of an elongated U-shapedbracket having a pair of spaced apart parallel side plates, which isadapted to fit around the cable. A secondary frame assembly alsocomprised of a pair of side plates is adapted to fit within the U-shapedbracket after the cable is inserted. The secondary frame assemblycarries a brake mechanism in the form of a pulley mounted in anelongated slot so as to be movable toward or away from the cable and alever adapted to be attached to a worker's lanyard for moving the pulleyso as to engage the cable in the event of a fall. An elongated bent pinconnected between the primary and secondary frame assemblies allows forlimited pivotal and axial movement between them to thereby allow thecable to be inserted into the U-shaped bracket. A separate locking pinpasses through aligned openings in the primary and secondary framemembers to secure them together.

Ador, U.S. Pat. No. 6,227,329 describes a base plate adapted to besecured to a support structure. A transverse plate is secured to thebase plate and extends outward from the base plate. A slot is formed inthe transverse plate to receive a ring. A notch is formed in a sidewallof the slot to seat the ring within the slot. The ring is adapted toanchor an end of a safety line regardless of the orientation of the baseplate relative to the desired orientation of the safety line 40.

Carter, U.S. Pat. No. 6,520,290 describes a personal fall protectionsystem for securing a worker to an elevated and exposed structuredefining a work area. The fall protection system includes a safety beltsupported on the worker's body with a body harness. The safety beltincludes two belt couplings movable in a channel around the belt, eachadapted to be attached to a lanyard. Two spaced apart rails are mountedadjacent opposite side limits of the structure. A movable anchor forsecuring the end of a lanyard is mounted to each rail. A lanyard tiesoff the worker at each belt coupling to an anchor. The fall protectionsystem thereby secures the worker to both sides of the structure whileallowing the worker to rotate relative to the lanyards within the workarea and move freely forward and backwards throughout the work areabetween the rails.

Our prior art search with abstracts described above teaches: a roofattachment member for safety lines, a roof scaffold, a motion stoppingsafety system for workers, a roof lifeline safety system and anchorassembly therefor, a fall restraint cable support method, a safetydevice and system, a safety line anchoring device, a roof mounted anchorused singley or with another and with other equipment in a fallrestraint and/or fall arrest system, a safety load transfer device andsystem, an adjustable roofing scaffold apparatus, a connector assemblyfor use on scaffolding to prevent a worker from falling, portablesuspended roof scaffold system, a retractable fall restraint device, aroof anchoring system with a safety line, a roof anchor for safetyequipment, a roof scaffolding system, a cable grab, a safetylineanchorage method and apparatus, a fall protection method and apparatus,but does not teach the anchor plates and attachments thereto of thepresent invention and does not teach the use thereof. The presentinvention fulfills the need for a simple safety attachment apparatuswith maximum flexibility for worker movement and maximum security at thesame time, is adaptable to peaked or flat roofs, and provides furtherrelated advantages as described in the following summary.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention teaches certain benefits in construction and usewhich give rise to the objectives described below.

For workers positioned on scaffolds and other high locations, a safetycable is necessary to provide security in case of falling or supportcollapse. This invention provides a low cost and quickly installedsystem that is useful on both flat and peaked roofs in severalembodiments. For the peaked roof, a pair of flat plates are joined by ahinge and fastened over the peak of a roof so that an eye bolt attachedto one of the plates is positioned outward of the roof. A safety cableis engaged with the eye bolt with its free end fastened directly to aworker harness or to a walker cable. When a walker cable is used, as forthe situation when worker mobility is required, a second pair of flatplates, also having eye bolts, are fastened on either side of the hingedpair and spaced apart, preferably to the ends of the roof. The walkercable is fastened between the second pair of flat plates attached to theeye bolts. A personnel cable is then fastened from the walker cable tothe worker harness and this walker cable is then able to move with aworker along a horizontal work path, providing mobility in painting,shingling, placing siding and similar construction jobs. The personnelcable is slidingly engaged with the walking cable to allow the worker tomove about in working on a scaffold.

A primary objective of the present invention is to provide an apparatusand method of use of such apparatus that yields advantages not taught bythe prior art.

Another objective is to provide such an invention capable of beingquickly and easily installed on, and thereafter removed from a building.

A further objective is to provide such an invention capable of beingmounted over a peaked roof or a flat roof with improved security.

A still further objective is to provide such an invention capable ofallowing a worker the freedom of lateral movement while maintainingsecurity.

Other features and advantages of the present invention will becomeapparent from the following more detailed description, taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate, by way ofexample, the principles of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings illustrate the present invention. In suchdrawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a further embodiment thereof;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a still further embodiment thereof;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a pair of hinged flat plates thereof;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a single flat plate thereof; and

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a safety hook used therewith.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The above described drawing figures illustrate the invention in at leastone of its preferred embodiments, which is further defined in detail inthe following description. Those having ordinary skill in the art may beable to make alterations and modifications in the present inventionwithout departing from its spirit and scope. Therefore, it must beunderstood that the illustrated embodiments have been set forth only forthe purposes of example and that they should not be taken as limitingthe invention as defined in the following.

The present invention is a safety apparatus for securing a worker 5positioned at a high location and who is subject to a fall, andcomprises, in one embodiment, a pair of flat metal plates 10, 10′preferably about one foot square in size, and of substantial rigidity,and joined by one or more hinges 20 so that the flat plates 10, 10′ maybe mutually rotated to form an angle between them. Please refer to FIG.4. The flat plates 10, 10′ each provide a plurality of mounting holes12, and at least one of the pair of the flat plates 10 provides an eyebolt 14 rigidly engaged therewith and positioned to one side thereof.Preferably a rigid metal strap 15 is welded, or otherwise joined withthe plate 10 such that the strap 15 extends beyond one edge of the plate10, as shown, wherein the eye bolt 14 is mounted in that portion of thestrap 15 that extends so that the eye bolt 14 can be positioned to oneside of a roof 8 while the plates 10, 10′ are fully engaged with theroofs surface as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. A safety cable 30 is engaged atone of its ends 32 with the eye bolt 14 while the other end 34 of thesafety cable 30 provides a safety hook 36 (FIG. 6) for fastening thesafety cable 30 as further described below.

In a further embodiment, a further pair of flat plates 10, which are notjoined to each other by a hinge, each is fashioned in accordance withthe construction of FIG. 5, so that each is fitted with eye bolt 14, asdescribed above, i.e., rigidly engaged to one side, and each also hasthe plurality of mounting holes 12. A walker cable 40, as shown in FIGS.1 and 3, is engaged at its ends 42, 44 with the eye bolts 14 of the twosingle flat plates 10, and a personnel cable 60 is engaged between thewalker cable 40 and the harness 50, as shown in FIGS. 1-3. As shown inFIG. 2, when no walker cable 40 is used, the worker is connecteddirectly by personnel cable 60 to eye bolt 14.

The present apparatus, as described above is applied in use by a methodcomprising certain steps. First, the pair of flat plates 10, 10′ whichare joined by the hinge 20 are fastened over a peak of a roof 8, asshown in FIG. 1, and the personnel cable 60 is fastened to its eye bolt14 and, in one embodiment, my be then joined to the worker harness 50.In a further embodiment, a further pair of individual flat plates 10 arefastened to the roof 8 in spaced apart positions on opposing sides ofthe roofs peak and engage a walker cable 40 at ends thereof with furthereye bolts 14 of the spaced apart further flat plates 10. The safetycable 30, in this embodiment, is joined to the walker cable 40 tofurther secure it. Then, the personnel cable 60 is slidingly joined tothe walker cable 40 and to the worker harness 50, thus providing slidingengagement of the personnel cable 60 at one end thereof on the walkercable 40 thereby allowing the worker 5 to have considerable latitude ofmovement.

The enablements described in detail above are considered novel over theprior art of record and are considered critical to the operation of theinstant invention and to the achievement of the above describedobjectives. The words used in this specification to describe theinvention and its various embodiments are to be understood not only inthe sense of their commonly defined meanings, but to include by specialdefinition in this specification: structure, material or acts beyond thescope of the commonly defined meanings. Thus if an element can beunderstood in the context of this specification as including more thanone meaning, then its use must be understood as being generic to allpossible meanings supported by the specification and by the word orwords describing the element.

The definitions of the words or elements of this described invention andits various embodiments are, therefore, defined in this specification toinclude not only the combination of elements which are literally setforth, but all equivalent structure, material or acts for performingsubstantially the same function in substantially the same way to obtainsubstantially the same result. In this sense it is thereforecontemplated that an equivalent substitution of two or more elements maybe made for any one of the elements in the invention and its variousembodiments or that a single element may be substituted for two or moreelements in a claim.

Changes from the claimed subject matter as viewed by a person withordinary skill in the art, now known or later devised, are expresslycontemplated as being equivalents within the scope of the invention andits various embodiments. Therefore, obvious substitutions now or laterknown to one with ordinary skill in the art are defined to be within thescope of the defined elements. The invention and its various embodimentsare thus to be understood to include what is specifically illustratedand described above, what is conceptually equivalent, what can beobviously substituted, and also what essentially incorporates theessential idea of the invention.

While the invention has been described with reference to at least onepreferred embodiment, it is to be clearly understood by those skilled inthe art that the invention is not limited thereto. Rather, the scope ofthe invention is to be interpreted only in conjunction with the appendedclaims and it is made clear, here, that the inventor(s) believe that theclaimed subject matter is the invention.

1. A safety apparatus comprising: a pair of flat plates joined by ahinge, the flat plates each providing a plurality of mounting holes, andat least one of the pair of the flat plates providing an eye boltrigidly engaged therewith and to one side thereof; and a safety cableengaged at one end thereof with the eye bolt; the other end of thesafety cable providing a hook for fastening the safety cable.
 2. Theapparatus of claim 1 further comprising a pair of flat plates, each ofthe flat plates providing an eye bolt rigidly engaged to one sidethereof, and a plurality of mounting holes; a walker cable engaged atends thereof with the eye bolts; the safety cable engaged with one ofthe walker cable and a worker harness; a personnel cable providingsliding engagement at one end thereof with the walker cable and joinedat the other end to a worker harness.
 3. A safety method comprising:joining a pair of flat plates by a hinge, the flat plates each providinga plurality of mounting holes, and at least one of the pair of the flatplates providing an eye bolt rigidly engaged therewith and to one sidethereof, fastening the flat plates over a peak of a roof and attaching asafety cable with the eye bolt; fastening a further pair of flat platesto the roof in spaced apart positions on opposing sides of the pair ofhinged flat plates, engaging a walker cable at ends thereof with furthereye bolts in the spaced apart further flat plates; fastening the safetycable to one of the walker cable and a worker harness; providing slidingengagement of a personnel cable at one end thereof with the walker cableand fixing the other end to the worker harness.